Vehicle lamp system

ABSTRACT

A vehicle lamp system ( 100 ) comprises an illuminance-variable lamp ( 42 ), a lamp-mounted camera ( 44 ), and a lamp control unit ( 43 ). When acquiring positional information of a low-accuracy region from a vehicle control unit ( 3 ), the lamp control unit ( 43 ) acquires illuminance of the low-accuracy region with reference to information acquired by the lamp-mounted camera ( 44 ), controls the illuminance-variable lamp ( 42 ) such that the illuminance of the low-accuracy region is increased if the illuminance of the low-accuracy region is less than a threshold value, and/or controls the illuminance-variable lamp ( 42 ) such that the illuminance of the low-accuracy region is decreased if the illuminance of the low-accuracy region is the threshold value or more.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp system.

BACKGROUND ART

In order to realize a driving assistance technology of a vehicle, it isnecessary to mount a sensor for detecting information outside thevehicle on a vehicle body. An example of such a sensor is a vehiclecamera (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). The vehicle camerabecomes increasingly important as the driving assistance technology ofthe vehicle becomes more sophisticated.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: JP2010-185769A

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

Incidentally, a vehicle control unit recognizes an object based on animage captured by the vehicle camera. For example, an accuracy ofrecognition that an object is a pedestrian by the vehicle control unitchanges depending on a distance between the object and an own vehicleand a degree of sharpness of the image. The accuracy of recognition iscalled recognition accuracy.

The recognition accuracy may be affected by a vehicle lamp which emitslight to surroundings of the own vehicle. For example, if reflectivelight which is extremely strong from a certain region is incident on thevehicle camera as compared with reflective light from another region,whiteout occurs in a part of the image corresponding to the region, andthe recognition accuracy is decreased. Alternatively, if reflectivelight which is extremely dark from a certain region is incident on thevehicle camera as compared with reflective light from another region,blackout occurs in apart of the image corresponding to the region. Inthis way, the recognition accuracy is low in the region where whiteoutor blackout occurs.

Therefore, the present invention provides a vehicle lamp system capableof improving recognition accuracy of a vehicle camera.

Solution to Problem

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided avehicle lamp system including:

an illuminance variable lamp capable of emitting light toward an entireangle of view of a vehicle camera mounted on a vehicle and capable ofperforming adjustment such that illuminance of any region is differentfrom illuminance of another region;

a lamp-mounted camera including, in an angle of view, a range includingthe angle of view of the vehicle camera; and

a lamp control unit configured to control the illuminance variable lamp,in which

the lamp control unit is configured to

after acquiring, from a vehicle control unit configured to control thevehicle, position information of a low accuracy region where arecognition accuracy of the angle of view of the vehicle camera is equalto or less than a predetermined value,

acquire illuminance of the low accuracy region with reference toinformation acquired by the lamp-mounted camera, and

control the illuminance variable lamp so as to increase the illuminanceof the low accuracy region if the illuminance of the low accuracy regionis less than a threshold, and/or control the illuminance variable lampso as to decrease the illuminance of the low accuracy region if theilluminance of the low accuracy region is equal to or greater than thethreshold.

Further, according to one aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a vehicle lamp system including:

an illuminance variable lamp capable of emitting light toward an entireangle of view of a vehicle camera mounted on a vehicle and capable ofperforming adjustment such that illuminance of any region is differentfrom illuminance of another region;

a lamp-mounted camera including, in an angle of view, a range includingthe angle of view of the vehicle camera;

an illuminance fixing lamp capable of emitting light with a specificilluminance toward a region including the angle of view of the vehiclecamera; and

a lamp control unit configured to control the illuminance variable lampand the illuminance fixing lamp, in which

the lamp control unit is configured to

after acquiring, from a vehicle control unit configured to control thevehicle, position information and illuminance of a low accuracy regionwhere a recognition accuracy of the angle of view of the vehicle camerais equal to or less than a predetermined value,

determine whether the illuminance of the low accuracy region is lessthan a threshold,

turn on the illuminance fixing lamp and/or control the illuminancevariable lamp so as to increase the illuminance of the low accuracyregion if the illuminance of the low accuracy region is less than thethreshold, and/or

turn off the illuminance fixing lamp and/or control the illuminancevariable lamp so as to decrease the illuminance of the low accuracyregion if the illuminance of the low accuracy region is equal to orgreater than the threshold.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided avehicle lamp system including:

a first lamp capable of performing adjustment such that illuminance orcolor of any region of an angle of view of a vehicle camera mounted on avehicle is different from illuminance or color of another region; and

a lamp control unit configured to control the first lamp so as tosequentially form a plurality of light distribution patterns differentin at least one of the illuminance and color in a low accuracy region,after acquiring, from a vehicle control unit configured to control thevehicle, position information of a low accuracy region where arecognition accuracy of the angle of view of the vehicle camera is equalto or less than a predetermined value.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided avehicle lamp system including:

an illuminance variable lamp capable of performing adjustment such thatilluminance of any region of an angle of view of a vehicle cameramounted on a vehicle is different from illuminance of another region;and

a lamp control unit capable of controlling the illuminance variablelamp, in which

the lamp control unit is configured to

after acquiring, from a vehicle control unit configured to control thevehicle, position information and illuminance of a low accuracy regionwhere a recognition accuracy of the angle of view of the vehicle camerais equal to or less than a predetermined value,

determine whether the illuminance of the low accuracy region is lessthan a threshold,

control the illuminance variable lamp so as to increase the illuminanceof the low accuracy region if the illuminance of the low accuracy regionis less than the threshold, and/or

control the illuminance variable lamp so as to decrease the illuminanceof the low accuracy region if the illuminance of the low accuracy regionis equal to or greater than the threshold.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided avehicle lamp system including:

an illuminance variable lamp capable of performing adjustment such thatilluminance of any region of an angle of view of a vehicle cameramounted on a vehicle is different from illuminance of another region;

an illuminance fixing lamp capable of emitting light with a specificilluminance toward a region including the angle of view of the vehiclecamera; and

a lamp control unit capable of controlling the illuminance variable lampand the illuminance fixing lamp, in which

the lamp control unit is configured to

after acquiring, from a vehicle control unit configured to control thevehicle, position information and illuminance of a low accuracy regionwhere a recognition accuracy of the angle of view of the vehicle camerais equal to or less than a predetermined value,

determine whether the illuminance of the low accuracy region is lessthan a threshold,

turn on the illuminance fixing lamp and/or control the illuminancevariable lamp so as to increase the illuminance of the low accuracyregion if the illuminance of the low accuracy region is less than thethreshold, and/or

turn off the illuminance fixing lamp and/or control the illuminancevariable lamp so as to decrease the illuminance of the low accuracyregion if the illuminance of the low accuracy region is equal to orgreater than the threshold.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided avehicle lamp system including:

an illuminance variable lamp capable of performing adjustment such thatilluminance of any region of an angle of view of a vehicle cameramounted on a vehicle is different from illuminance of another region;and

a lamp control unit capable of controlling the illuminance variablelamp, in which

after acquiring, from a vehicle control unit configured to control thevehicle, position information of a low accuracy region where arecognition accuracy of the angle of view of the vehicle camera is equalto or less than a predetermined value, and first recognition accuracywhich is the recognition accuracy of the low accuracy region at thattime, the lamp control unit is configured to execute the following (1)and/or (2):

-   -   (1) controlling the illuminance variable lamp so as to increase        the illuminance of the low accuracy region, and acquiring, from        the vehicle control unit, second recognition accuracy which is        the recognition accuracy of the low accuracy region in this        state,    -   in a case where the first recognition accuracy is higher than        the second recognition accuracy, controlling the illuminance        variable lamp so as to decrease illuminance of the low accuracy        region with respect to illuminance when the first recognition        accuracy is acquired, and    -   in a case where the second recognition accuracy is higher than        the first recognition accuracy, controlling the illuminance        variable lamp so as to increase the illuminance of the low        accuracy region with respect to the illuminance when the first        recognition accuracy is acquired,    -   (2) controlling the illuminance variable lamp so as to decrease        the illuminance of the low accuracy region, and acquiring, from        the vehicle control unit, second recognition accuracy which is        the recognition accuracy of the low accuracy region in this        state,    -   in a case where the first recognition accuracy is higher than        the second recognition accuracy, controlling the illuminance        variable lamp so as to increase illuminance of the low accuracy        region with respect to illuminance when the first recognition        accuracy is acquired, and    -   in a case where the second recognition accuracy is higher than        the first recognition accuracy, controlling the illuminance        variable lamp so as to decrease the illuminance of the low        accuracy region with respect to the illuminance when the first        recognition accuracy is acquired.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided avehicle lamp system including:

an illuminance variable lamp capable of performing adjustment such thatilluminance of any region of an angle of view of a vehicle cameramounted on a vehicle is different from illuminance of another region;

an illuminance fixing lamp capable of emitting light with a specificilluminance toward a region including the angle of view of the vehiclecamera; and

a lamp control unit capable of controlling the illuminance variable lampand the illuminance fixing lamp, in which

after acquiring, from a vehicle control unit configured to control thevehicle, position information of a low accuracy region where arecognition accuracy of the angle of view of the vehicle camera is equalto or less than a predetermined value, and first recognition accuracywhich is the recognition accuracy of the low accuracy region at thattime, the lamp control unit is configured to execute the following (3)and/or (4):

-   -   (3) controlling at least one of the illuminance variable lamp        and the illuminance fixing lamp so as to increase illuminance of        the low accuracy region, and acquiring, from the vehicle control        unit, second recognition accuracy which is the recognition        accuracy of the low accuracy region in this state,    -   in a case where the first recognition accuracy is higher than        the second recognition accuracy, turning off the illuminance        fixing lamp and/or controlling the illuminance variable lamp so        as to decrease illuminance of the low accuracy region with        respect to illuminance when the first recognition accuracy is        acquired, and/or    -   in a case where the second recognition accuracy is higher than        the first recognition accuracy, turning on the illuminance        fixing lamp and/or controlling the illuminance variable lamp so        as to increase illuminance of the low accuracy region with        respect to illuminance when the first recognition accuracy is        acquired.    -   (4) controlling the illuminance variable lamp so as to decrease        the illuminance of the low accuracy region, and acquiring, from        the vehicle control unit, second recognition accuracy which is        the recognition accuracy of the low accuracy region in this        state,    -   in a case where the first recognition accuracy is higher than        the second recognition accuracy, turning on the illuminance        fixing lamp and/or controlling the illuminance variable lamp so        as to increase illuminance of the low accuracy region with        respect to illuminance when the first recognition accuracy is        acquired, and/or    -   in a case where the second recognition accuracy is higher than        the first recognition accuracy, turning off the illuminance        fixing lamp and/or controlling the illuminance variable lamp so        as to decrease illuminance of the low accuracy region with        respect to illuminance when the first recognition accuracy is        acquired.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, the vehicle lamp system capable ofimproving the recognition accuracy of the camera is provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a plan view of a vehicle on which a vehicle lamp systemaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention is mounted.

FIG. 1B is a left side view of the vehicle on which the vehicle lampsystem according to the first embodiment of the present invention ismounted.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a vehicle system including the vehicle lampsystem according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an image acquired by a vehicle camera.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart executed by the vehicle lamp system according tothe first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a vehicle system including a vehicle lampsystem according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart executed by the vehicle lamp system according tothe second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7A is a plan view of a vehicle on which a vehicle lamp systemaccording to a third embodiment of the present invention is mounted.

FIG. 7B is a left side view of the vehicle on which the vehicle lampsystem according to the third embodiment of the present invention ismounted.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a vehicle system including the vehicle lampsystem according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart executed by the vehicle lamp system according tothe third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a vehicle system including a vehicle lampsystem according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart executed by a vehicle lamp system according to afifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart executed by a vehicle lamp system according to asixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart executed by a vehicle lamp system according to aseventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart executed by a vehicle lamp system according to aneighth embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure (hereinafter,referred to as “the present embodiment”) will be described withreference to the drawings. Incidentally, members having the samereference numerals as those that have been described in the descriptionof the present embodiment will be omitted for convenience ofdescription. Further, dimensions of members illustrated in the drawingsmay be different from actual dimensions thereof for convenience ofdescription.

In the description of the present embodiment, a “left-right direction”,a “front-rear direction”, and an “upper-lower direction” areappropriately referred to for convenience of description. Thesedirections are relative directions set for a vehicle 1 illustrated inFIGS. 1A and 1B. Here, the “upper-lower direction” is a directionincluding an “upper direction” and a “lower direction”. The “front-reardirection” is a direction including a “front direction” and a “reardirection”. The “left-right direction” is a direction including a “leftdirection” and a “right direction”.

First Embodiment

A vehicle lamp system 100 according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention will be described below. FIG. 1A is a front view of thevehicle 1, and FIG. 1B is a left side view of the vehicle 1. The vehicle1 is a vehicle capable of traveling in an automatic driving mode. Thevehicle 1 includes a lamp device 4. The lamp device 4 includes anilluminance variable lamp 42 and a lamp-mounted camera 44. In thepresent embodiment, the lamp device 4 is provided at a left frontportion of the vehicle 1. In the present embodiment, the illuminancevariable lamp 42 and the lamp-mounted camera 44 are provided inside acommon housing.

The illuminance variable lamp 42 can emit light toward an entire angleof view of a vehicle camera 6 and can perform adjustment such thatilluminance of any region is different from illuminance of anotherregion. The illuminance variable lamp 42 is, for example, a laserscanning device including a laser light source and a light deflectiondevice which deflects laser light emitted from the laser light source.The light deflection device is, for example, a movable mirror such as amicro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) mirror or a Galvano mirror. Theilluminance variable lamp 42 can emit light of desired illuminance to adesired position by adjusting a current value supplied to the laserlight source or driving the movable mirror to a desired posture.

The lamp-mounted camera 44 is a camera provided separately from thevehicle camera 6, which will be described later, mounted on the vehicle1 and connected to a vehicle control unit 3.

Next, a vehicle system 2 of the vehicle 1 will be described withreference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the vehicle system 2.As illustrated in FIG. 2, the vehicle system 2 includes a vehiclecontrol unit 3, a lamp system 100, a sensor 5, a vehicle camera 6, aradar 7, a human machine interface (HMI) 8, a Global Positioning System(GPS) 9, a wireless communication unit 10 (a first wirelesscommunication unit), and a map information storage unit 11. The vehiclesystem 2 further includes a steering actuator 12, a steering device 13,a brake actuator 14, a brake device 15, an accelerator actuator 16, andan accelerator device 17.

The vehicle control unit 3 controls traveling of the vehicle 1. Thevehicle control unit 3 is implemented by an electronic control unit(ECU). The electronic control unit includes a processor such as acentral processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM) in which variousvehicle control programs are stored, and a random access memory (RAM) inwhich various kinds of vehicle control data are temporarily stored. Theprocessor loads a program designated from the various vehicle controlprograms stored in the ROM onto the RAM and executes various kinds ofprocessing in cooperation with the RAM.

The lamp system 10 includes the lamp device 4. The lamp device 4includes the illuminance variable lamp 42, the lamp-mounted camera 44,and a lamp control unit 43. The lamp control unit 43 is implemented byan electronic control unit (ECU). The lamp control unit 43 communicateswith the vehicle control unit 3 and the lamp-mounted camera 44.

The lamp control unit 43 controls the illuminance variable lamp 42 tocontrol a direction and a luminous intensity of the light emitted fromthe illuminance variable lamp 42. The lamp control unit 43 and thevehicle control unit 3 may be implemented by the same electronic controlunit.

The sensor 5 includes an acceleration sensor, a speed sensor, a gyrosensor, and the like. The sensor 5 detects a traveling state of thevehicle 1 and outputs traveling state information to the vehicle controlunit 3. The sensor 5 may further include a seating sensor which detectswhether a driver sits on a driver seat, a face direction sensor whichdetects a direction of a face of the driver, an external weather sensorwhich detects an external weather condition, a human sensor whichdetects whether there is a person in the vehicle, and the like.

The vehicle camera 6 is, for example, a camera including an imagingelement such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary MOS(CMOS). The radar 7 is a millimeter wave radar, a microwave radar, alaser radar, and the like. The vehicle camera 6 and/or the radar 7detect a surrounding environment of the vehicle 1 (another vehicle, apedestrian, a road shape, a traffic sign, an obstacle, and the like),and output surrounding environment information to the vehicle controlunit 3.

The HMI 8 includes an input unit which receives an input operation fromthe driver, and an output unit which outputs traveling information andthe like to the driver. The input unit includes a steering wheel, anaccelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a driving mode changeover switch whichswitches a driving mode of the vehicle 1, and the like. The output unitis a display which displays various kinds of traveling information.

The GPS 9 acquires current position information of the vehicle 1 andoutputs the acquired current position information to the vehicle controlunit 3. The wireless communication unit 10 (a first wirelesscommunication unit) receives information (for example, travelinginformation and the like) about the other vehicle around the vehicle 1from the other vehicle, and transmits information about the vehicle 1(for example, traveling information and the like) to the other vehicle(inter-vehicle communication). The wireless communication unit 10receives infrastructure information from infrastructure equipment suchas a traffic light and a sign lamp, and transmits the travelinginformation of the vehicle 1 to the infrastructure equipment(road-to-vehicle communication). The vehicle 1 may directly communicatewith the other vehicle or the infrastructure equipment, or maycommunicate with the other vehicle or the infrastructure equipment via awireless communication network. The map information storage unit 11 isan external storage device such as a hard disk drive in which mapinformation is stored, and outputs the map information to the vehiclecontrol unit 3.

When the vehicle 1 travels in the automatic driving mode, the vehiclecontrol unit 3 automatically generates at least one of a steeringcontrol signal, an accelerator control signal, and a brake controlsignal based on the traveling state information, the surroundingenvironment information, the current position information, the mapinformation, and the like. The steering actuator 12 receives thesteering control signal from the vehicle control unit 3 and controls thesteering device 13 based on the received steering control signal. Thebrake actuator 14 receives the brake control signal from the vehiclecontrol unit 3 and controls the brake device 15 based on the receivedbrake control signal. The accelerator actuator 16 receives theaccelerator control signal from the vehicle control unit 3 and controlsthe accelerator device 17 based on the received accelerator controlsignal. In this way, traveling of the vehicle 1 is automaticallycontrolled by the vehicle system 2 in the automatic driving mode.

On the other hand, when the vehicle 1 travels in a manual driving mode,the vehicle control unit 3 generates a steering control signal, anaccelerator control signal, and a brake control signal according to amanual operation of the driver on the accelerator pedal, the brakepedal, and the steering wheel. In this way, since the steering controlsignal, the accelerator control signal, and the brake control signal aregenerated by the manual operation of the driver, the traveling of thevehicle 1 is controlled by the driver in the manual driving mode.

Next, the driving mode of the vehicle 1 will be described. The drivingmode includes the automatic driving mode and the manual driving mode.The automatic driving mode includes a fully automatic driving mode, anadvanced driving support mode, and a driving support mode. In the fullyautomatic driving mode, the vehicle system 2 automatically executes allkinds of traveling control including steering control, brake control,and accelerator control, and the driver cannot drive the vehicle 1. Inthe advanced driving support mode, the vehicle system 2 automaticallyexecutes all kinds of traveling control including the steering control,the brake control, and the accelerator control, and the driver can drivethe vehicle 1 but does not drive the vehicle 1. In the driving supportmode, the vehicle system 2 automatically executes a part of travelingcontrol including the steering control, the brake control, and theaccelerator control, and the driver drives the vehicle 1 under thedriving support of the vehicle system 2. On the other hand, in themanual driving mode, the vehicle system 2 does not automatically executethe traveling control, and the driver drives the vehicle 1 without thedriving support of the vehicle system 2.

The driving mode of the vehicle 1 may be switched by operating thedriving mode changeover switch. In this case, the vehicle control unit 3switches the driving mode of the vehicle 1 among the four driving modes(the fully automatic driving mode, the advanced driving support mode,the driving support mode, and the manual driving mode) according to anoperation of the driver on the driving mode changeover switch. Thedriving mode of the vehicle 1 may be automatically switched based oninformation about a travelable section where an automatic drivingvehicle can travel or a traveling prohibited section where traveling ofthe automatic driving vehicle is prohibited, or information about theexternal weather condition. In this case, the vehicle control unit 3switches the driving mode of the vehicle 1 based on the informationdescribed above. Further, the driving mode of the vehicle 1 may beautomatically switched by using the seating sensor, the face directionsensor, and the like. In this case, the vehicle control unit 3 switchesthe driving mode of the vehicle 1 based on an output signal from theseating sensor or the face direction sensor.

Next, processing executed by the lamp control unit 43 according to thepresent embodiment will be described using FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is adiagram illustrating an image acquired by the vehicle camera 6. FIG. 4is a flowchart illustrating the processing executed by the lamp controlunit 43 according to the present embodiment.

In the present embodiment, the vehicle control unit 3 executes the fullyautomatic driving mode, the advanced driving support mode, and thedriving support mode based on the image acquired by the vehicle camera6. The vehicle control unit 3 identifies an object such as a pedestrian,an oncoming vehicle, or a sign from the image acquired by the vehiclecamera 6.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the image acquired by the vehiclecamera 6. As illustrated in FIG. 3, there is a sign in front of thevehicle in an area A1. There is a pedestrian on a right side in front ofthe vehicle in an area A2.

When the vehicle control unit 3 tries to identify the object such as asign or a pedestrian, it may be difficult to identify the object fromthe image acquired by the vehicle camera 6. For example, it may bedifficult to identify the object when light emitted from the own vehiclehardly reaches the pedestrian illustrated in FIG. 3 and the pedestrianis too dark (blackout). Alternatively, since the sign has a highreflectance, it may be difficult to read a mark displayed on the signbecause a reflective light is too bright (whiteout). When it isdetermined from the image acquired by the vehicle camera 6 that theobject is a specific object, if a degree of certainty exceeds apredetermined value (a threshold), the vehicle control unit 3 determinesthat the object is a specific object. The degree of certainty is calledrecognition accuracy.

When it is determined from the image acquired by the vehicle camera 6that there is something, the vehicle control unit 3 attempts to identifythe object and identifies position information of the object. A regionwhere the recognition accuracy is lower than the predetermined value andthe object cannot be distinguished is referred to as a low accuracyregion in the following description. The vehicle control unit 3transmits the position information of the low accuracy region to thelamp control unit 43 when the low accuracy region is generated.

The position information in the low accuracy region is, for example, θ(azimuth angle) and φ (elevation angle) when the object is specified bycoordinates (r, θ, φ) around the vehicle camera 6. Incidentally, rrepresents a distance to the object. For example, when the region A1including the sign in FIG. 3 is determined to be the low accuracyregion, the vehicle control unit 3 transmits information of θ being −5°to −1° and φ being −2° to +3° as position information of the lowaccuracy region A1 to the lamp control unit 43.

Alternatively, for example, when the vehicle control unit 3 cannotdetermine an object in a region from row A and column B to row C tocolumn D of pixels of the vehicle camera 6, the region from row A andcolumn B to row C and column D is the position information of the lowaccuracy region. A row direction is associated with, for example, aheight direction of the vehicle 1. A column direction is associatedwith, for example, a horizontal direction of the vehicle 1.

Alternatively, when the vehicle camera 6 is virtually divided into Fpixels in the row direction and G pixels in the column direction, andthe vehicle control unit 3 cannot determine an object in a sectionlocated at the m^(th) row and the n^(th) column, the section located atthe m^(th) row and the n^(th) column is the position information of thelow accuracy region. The row direction is associated with, for example,the height direction of the vehicle 1. The column direction isassociated with, for example, the horizontal direction of the vehicle 1.

Further, since the own vehicle travels and the object moves, theposition of the low accuracy region changes every moment. Therefore, theposition information may be a function of a time determined according toan estimated relative speed between the own vehicle and the object.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, first, after the lamp control unit 43 acquiresthe position information of the low accuracy region from the vehiclecontrol unit 3, the lamp control unit 43 executes the followingprocessing (step S01: Yes). When the position information of the lowaccuracy region is not acquired from the vehicle control unit 3, thelamp control unit 43 does not execute the following processing (stepS01: No).

Next, the lamp control unit 43 acquires illuminance of the low accuracyregion from the lamp-mounted camera 44 (step S02). An angle of view ofthe lamp-mounted camera 44 is equal to or larger than the angle of viewof the vehicle camera 6. Therefore, the lamp-mounted camera 44 canacquire information of any region of the vehicle camera 6. The lampcontrol unit 43 specifies illuminance of the region corresponding to thelow accuracy region based on the image acquired by the lamp-mountedcamera 44. The illuminance of the region can be obtained, for example,as an average value, a maximum value, or a minimum value of luminance ofthe pixels belonging to the low accuracy region among the pixels of thelamp-mounted camera 44.

Next, the lamp control unit 43 determines whether the illuminance of thespecified low accuracy region is less than a threshold S1 (step 03).When the lamp control unit 43 determines that the illuminance of the lowaccuracy region is less than the threshold S1 (step S03: Yes), the lampcontrol unit 43 controls the illuminance variable lamp 42 to increasethe illuminance of the low accuracy region (step S04). When theilluminance of the low accuracy region is less than the threshold S1, itmeans that the low accuracy region is dark. That is, the recognitionaccuracy is low since the low accuracy region is dark. Therefore, whenstep S04 is executed, the illuminance variable lamp 42 illuminates thelow accuracy region at illuminance higher than the illuminance of thelow accuracy region when the vehicle control unit 3 determines that therecognition accuracy is low, so that the recognition accuracy isincreased.

On the other hand, when the lamp control unit 43 determines that theilluminance of the low accuracy region is equal to or greater than thethreshold S1 (step S03: No), the lamp control unit 43 controls theilluminance variable lamp 42 to decrease the illuminance of the lowaccuracy region (step S05). When the illuminance of the low accuracyregion is equal to or greater than the threshold S1, it means that thelow accuracy region is bright. That is, the recognition accuracy is lowsince the low accuracy region is too bright. Therefore, when step S05 isexecuted, the illuminance variable lamp 42 illuminates the low accuracyregion at illuminance lower than the illuminance of the low accuracyregion when the vehicle control unit 3 determines that the recognitionaccuracy is low, so that the recognition accuracy is increased.

In the illuminance variable lamp 42 which is the laser scanning deviceof the present embodiment, the laser light source emits the laser light.Further, an emitting range is scanned with the laser light by moving themovable mirror. In the present embodiment, the expression “theilluminance variable lamp 42 is controlled so as to increase theilluminance of the low accuracy region” means that the lamp control unit43 increases the amount of energization supplied to the laser lightsource when the movable mirror is moved to a position of the lowaccuracy region irradiated with the laser light. On the other hand, theexpression “the illuminance variable lamp 42 is controlled so as todecrease the illuminance of the low accuracy region” means that the lampcontrol unit 43 decreases the amount of energization supplied to thelaser light source when the movable mirror is moved to the position ofthe low accuracy region irradiated with the laser light.

Steps S01 to S05 described above are repeatedly executed atpredetermined intervals. The predetermined interval is 1 second or less,preferably 0.1 second or less.

Further, the processing of steps S02 to S05 may be repeated while thelamp control unit 43 acquires the position information of the lowaccuracy region from the vehicle control unit 3.

Alternatively, when the lamp control unit 43 acquires the positioninformation of the low accuracy region from the vehicle control unit 3,the illuminance of the low accuracy region is acquired by referring tothe information acquired by the lamp-mounted camera 44, and theilluminance of the low accuracy region is adjusted by the illuminancevariable lamp 42 such that the recognition accuracy is increasedaccording to the illuminance of the low accuracy region. This adjustmentmay be continued for a predetermined number of times or a predeterminedperiod of time. According to this aspect, when the position informationof the low accuracy region is acquired at a certain time, therecognition accuracy can be continuously increased by repeating Step S04or S05 a predetermined number of times regardless of whether theinformation about the low accuracy region is acquired from the vehiclecontrol unit 3.

The low accuracy region is a region which moves with time. Therefore, itis preferable that the lamp control unit 43 continuously acquires theposition information of the low accuracy region and controls theilluminance variable lamp 42 so as to emit the light toward the movinglow accuracy region. For example, it is preferable that the positioninformation of the low accuracy region is acquired from the vehiclecontrol unit 3 immediately before the execution of steps S04 and S05,and the illuminance variable lamp 42 is controlled based on the positioninformation. However, when steps S01 to S05 are processed at asufficiently high speed, the control of the illuminance variable lamp 42in steps S04 and S05 may be performed based on the position informationof the low accuracy region acquired in step S01.

Second Embodiment

In the embodiment described above, an example in which the vehicle lampsystem 10 includes only the illuminance variable lamp 42 is described,but the vehicle lamp system can also be configured in combination with aheadlamp 45 (an illuminance fixing lamp) capable of emitting light witha specific illuminance toward an area including the angle of view of thevehicle camera 6.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a vehicle system including a vehicle lampsystem 100A according to a second embodiment of the present invention.As illustrated in FIG. 5, in the second embodiment, the vehicle lampsystem 100A includes the headlamp 45 in addition to the configuration ofthe vehicle lamp system 100 of the first embodiment described above. Thelamp control unit 43 is electrically connected to the headlamp 45. Thelamp control unit 43 can control the headlamp 45. A known headlamp canbe used as the headlamp 45. The headlamp 45 can form a high beam lightdistribution pattern and a low beam light distribution pattern. Further,the lamp control unit 43 controls the headlamp 45 to form the high beamlight distribution pattern, form the low beam light distributionpattern, or turn itself off.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart executed by the vehicle lamp system 100A accordingto the second embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 6, since steps S11 toS13 executed by the lamp control unit 43 are the same as steps S01 toS03 of the first embodiment described above, a description thereof willbe omitted.

When the illuminance of the low accuracy region is less than thethreshold S1 (step S13: Yes), the lamp control unit 43 determineswhether the headlamp 45 is in a lighting state (step S14).

When the illuminance of the low accuracy region is less than thethreshold S1 (step S13: Yes) and the headlamp 45 is in the lightingstate (step S14: Yes), the lamp control unit 43 controls the illuminancevariable lamp 42 to increase the illuminance of the low accuracy region(step S15). When the illuminance of the low accuracy region is less thanthe threshold S1, the low accuracy region is too dark and it may bedifficult for the vehicle control unit 3 to identify the object. Whenstep S15 is executed, the illuminance variable lamp 42 illuminates thelow accuracy region at illuminance higher than the illuminance of thelow accuracy region when the vehicle control unit 3 determines that therecognition accuracy is low, so that the recognition accuracy isincreased.

When the illuminance of the low accuracy region is less than thethreshold S1 (step S13: Yes) and the headlamp 45 is in an OFF state(step S14: No), the lamp control unit 43 turns on the headlamp 45 and/orcontrols the illuminance variable lamp 42 so as to increase theilluminance of the low accuracy region (step S16).

In a case where the low accuracy region is too dark when the headlamp 45is in the OFF state and the recognition accuracy is low, the lowaccuracy region can be brightly illuminated by turning on the headlamp45, so that the recognition accuracy can be increased. Alternatively, byincreasing the amount of energization supplied to the light source ofthe illuminance variable lamp 42 without turning on the headlamp 45, thelow accuracy region can be brightly illuminated, so that the recognitionaccuracy can also be increased. Alternatively, by turning on theheadlamp 45 and increasing the amount of energization supplied to thelight source of the illuminance variable lamp 42, the low accuracyregion can be brightly illuminated, so that the recognition accuracy canalso be increased.

The lamp control unit 43 may be configured to always execute one ofturning on only the headlamp 45 and increasing the amount ofenergization supplied to the light source of the illuminance variablelamp 42.

Alternatively, the lamp control unit 43 may be configured to select andexecute one of turning on only the headlamp 45 and increasing the amountof energization supplied to the light source of the illuminance variablelamp 42 according to other external information. The other externalinformation includes, for example, an average illuminance around thevehicle, time, weather, a traveling speed of the own vehicle, andexposure time of the vehicle camera 6. For example, in a situation wherethe surroundings are dark, when the headlamp 45 is turned on,recognition accuracy of a region other than the low accuracy region canbe increased. Alternatively, when the traveling speed of the own vehicleis high, the exposure time of the vehicle camera 6 is set to be short.When the exposure time of the vehicle camera 6 is short, luminance ofall pixels of the vehicle camera 6 tends to be low in general.Therefore, when the headlamp 45 is turned on, the recognition accuracyof the region other than the low accuracy region can be increased.

When the illuminance of the low accuracy region is equal to or greaterthan the threshold S1 (step S13: No) and the headlamp 45 is in thelighting state (step S17: Yes), the lamp control unit 43 turns off theheadlamp 45 and/or controls the illuminance variable lamp 42 so as todecrease the illuminance of the low accuracy region (step S18). When theilluminance of the low accuracy region is equal to or greater than thethreshold S1, the low accuracy region is too bright and it may bedifficult for the vehicle control unit 3 to identify the object. Whenstep S18 is executed, since the low accuracy region is illuminated withthe illuminance lower than the illuminance of the low accuracy regionwhen the vehicle control unit 3 determines that the recognition accuracyis low, the recognition accuracy is increased.

When the illuminance of the low accuracy region is equal to or greaterthan the threshold S1 (step S13: No) and the headlamp 45 is in the OFFstate (step S17: No), the lamp control unit 43 controls the illuminancevariable lamp 42 so as to decrease the illuminance of the low accuracyregion (step S19).

When the headlamp 45 is too bright in the lighting state and therecognition accuracy is low, the low accuracy region can be darkened byturning off the headlamp 45, so that the recognition accuracy can beincreased. Alternatively, by decreasing the amount of energizationsupplied to the light source of the illuminance variable lamp 42 withoutturning off the headlamp 45, the low accuracy region can be darkened, sothat the recognition accuracy can also be increased. Alternatively, byturning off the headlamp 45 and decreasing the amount of energizationsupplied to the light source of the illuminance variable lamp 42, thelow accuracy region can be darkened, so that the recognition accuracycan also be increased.

The lamp control unit 43 may be configured to always execute one of onlyturning off the headlamp 45 and decreasing the amount of energizationsupplied to the light source of the illuminance variable lamp 42.

Alternatively, the lamp control unit 43 may be configured to select andexecute one of only turning off the headlamp 45 and decreasing theamount of energization supplied to the light source of the illuminancevariable lamp 42 according to the other external information.

Steps S11 to S19 described above are repeatedly executed atpredetermined intervals. The predetermined interval is 1 second or less,preferably 0.1 second or less.

Further, the processing of steps S12 to S19 may be repeated while thelamp control unit 43 acquires the position information of the lowaccuracy region from the vehicle control unit 3.

Alternatively, when the lamp control unit 43 acquires the positioninformation of the low accuracy region from the vehicle control unit 3,the lamp control unit 43 acquires the illuminance of the low accuracyregion by referring to the information acquired by the lamp-mountedcamera 44, and controls the illuminance variable lamp 42 and/or theheadlamp 45 so as to adjust the illuminance in the low accuracy regionin order to increase the recognition accuracy according to theilluminance of the low accuracy region. This control may be continuedfor a predetermined number of times or a predetermined period of time.According to this aspect, when the position information of the lowaccuracy region is acquired at a certain time, the recognition accuracycan be continuously increased by repeating steps S12 to S19 apredetermined number of times regardless of whether the informationabout the low accuracy region is acquired from the vehicle control unit3.

The low accuracy region is a region which moves with time. Therefore, itis preferable that the lamp control unit 43 continuously acquires theposition information of the low accuracy region and controls theilluminance variable lamp 42 so as to emit the light toward the movinglow accuracy region. For example, it is preferable that the positioninformation of the low accuracy region is acquired from the vehiclecontrol unit 3 immediately before the execution of steps S15, S16, S18and S19, and the illuminance variable lamp 42 is controlled based on theposition information. However, when steps S11 to S19 are processed at asufficiently high speed, the control of the illuminance variable lamp 42in steps S15, S16, S18 and S19 may be performed based on the positioninformation of the low accuracy region acquired in step S11.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, when there are a plurality of low accuracyregions A1, A2, the lamp control unit 43 performs the processingdescribed above for each of the low accuracy regions. As illustrated inFIG. 3, even in a case where the region A1 which is too bright and has alow recognition accuracy and the region A2 which is too dark and has alow recognition accuracy coexist, the recognition accuracy of eachregion can be increased according to the embodiment described above.

In the first embodiment and the second embodiment described above, anexample in which the vehicle camera 6 is a camera which acquiresinformation in front of the vehicle has been described. However, thevehicle camera according to the present invention is not limited to avehicle camera which acquires information in front of the vehicle. Forexample, the vehicle camera may be a rear camera which acquiresinformation behind the vehicle, or a side camera which acquiresinformation on a left side or a right side of the vehicle. In a casewhere the vehicle camera is a rear camera, the illuminance fixing lampdescribed above is a lamp which emits light of a certain intensity tothe rear of the vehicle. In a case where the vehicle camera is a sidecamera, the illuminance fixing lamp described above is a lamp whichemits light of a certain intensity to the left side or the right side ofthe vehicle.

Further, the vehicle camera is not limited to a camera which can receivevisible light. The vehicle camera may be an infrared camera. In a casewhere the vehicle camera is the infrared camera, the illuminancevariable lamp can be implemented by a lamp capable of emitting infraredrays.

In the embodiment described above, an example has been described inwhich the lamp device 4 includes the illuminance variable lamp 42, thelamp-mounted camera 44, and the headlamp 45, and the illuminancevariable lamp 42, the lamp-mounted camera 44, and the headlamp 45 areprovided inside the common housing. However, the present invention isnot limited thereto. The illuminance variable lamp 42, the lamp-mountedcamera 44, and the headlamp 45 may be independently attached to thevehicle.

Further, in the embodiment described above, a case where the illuminancevariable lamp 42 is the laser scanning device has been described, butthe type of the illuminance variable lamp is not particularly limited.For example, the illuminance variable lamp may be a lamp including aplurality of LED light sources. In this case, the region to which theilluminance variable lamp emits light is virtually divided into aplurality of regions, and the plurality of LED light sources can emitlight to the respective regions. Each region to which the LED lightsource is capable of emitting light is associated with a region wherethe low accuracy region of the vehicle camera is recognized. In thevehicle lamp system configured as described above, the control describedabove can be executed by controlling the amount of energization suppliedto the LED light source which emits light to the low accuracy region anda designated region.

Third Embodiment

Vehicle lamp systems 100B, 100C according to a third embodiment and afourth embodiment of the present invention will be described using FIGS.7A to 10.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are views illustrating the vehicle 1 on which thevehicle lamp system 100B according to the third embodiment is mounted,FIG. 7A is a front view, and FIG. 7B is a left side view. The vehicle 1on which the vehicle lamp system 100B of the present embodiment ismounted illustrated in FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 8 is different from the vehicle1 on which the vehicle lamp system 100 of the first embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2 in that the lamp-mounted camera 44 isnot provided. Of the vehicle lamp system 100B of the present embodiment,a description of similar functions and members as those of the vehiclelamp system 100 of the first embodiment described above will be omitted.Common members are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Further, the lamp control unit 43 according to the present embodimentacquires position information of a low angle region from the vehiclecontrol unit 3 as described with reference to FIG. 3. The vehicle lampsystem 100B according to the third embodiment is different from thefirst embodiment and the second embodiment in a flow to be executedafter acquiring the position information of the low angle region.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, first, after the lamp control unit 43 acquiresthe position information of the low accuracy region from the vehiclecontrol unit 3, the lamp control unit 43 executes the followingprocessing (step S101: Yes). When the position information of the lowaccuracy region is not acquired from the vehicle control unit 3, thelamp control unit 43 does not execute the following processing (stepS101: No).

Next, the lamp control unit 43 sequentially forms a plurality of lightdistribution patterns in the low accuracy region (step S102).

Sequentially forming the plurality of light distribution patterns in thelow accuracy region means illuminating the low accuracy region whilechanging a luminous intensity of the light source of the illuminancevariable lamp 42. Changing the luminous intensity means increasing theluminous intensity or decreasing the luminous intensity. The luminousintensity may be changed stepwise or continuously. Alternatively, theluminous intensity may be changed randomly.

Sequentially forming the plurality of light distribution patterns in thelow accuracy region means illuminating the low accuracy region whilechanging a color tone of the illuminance variable lamp 42. The change inthe color tone means, for example, illuminating the low accuracy regionwhile changing light of a low wavelength to light of a high wavelength,or illuminating the low accuracy region while changing light of a highwavelength to light of a low wavelength. The color tone may be changedstepwise or continuously. Further, when the laser light source iscomposed of R, G, and B light sources, only the R light source may beturned on, the R light source may be turned off and the G light sourcemay be turned on, and the G light source may be turned off and the Blight source may be turned on.

Sequentially forming the plurality of light distribution patterns in thelow accuracy region means forming at least two different lightdistribution patterns with a time difference. Two different lightdistribution patterns may be formed continuously. In the time differencebetween the two different light distribution patterns, there may be timeduring which light is not emitted.

When the light distribution pattern is changed stepwise, time formaintaining one light distribution pattern is made longer than theexposure time (shutter speed) of the vehicle camera 6. The lamp controlunit 43 changes the light distribution pattern such that a lightdistribution pattern when the vehicle camera 6 captures an image of then^(th) frame and a light distribution pattern when the vehicle camera 6captures an image of the m^(th) (m≠n) frame are different from eachother. When the light distribution pattern is continuously changed, anamount of change in the light distribution pattern during the exposuretime of the vehicle camera 6 is set to 30% or less. This is because itis not preferable that the light distribution pattern changes during theexposure of the vehicle camera 6.

Total time during which the lamp control unit 43 causes the illuminancevariable lamp 42 to form a plurality of light distribution patterns ispreferably set to 3 seconds or less. The total time is preferably 1second or less. The number of light distribution patterns formed by theilluminance variable lamp 42 caused by the lamp control unit 43 ispreferably two or more, more preferably five or more, still morepreferably ten or more.

The lamp control unit 43 may be configured to cause the illuminancevariable lamp 42 to repeatedly form a plurality of light distributionpatterns of a specific combination over the total time. For example, thelamp control unit 43 may maintain each of a first light distributionpattern of a first illuminance and a second light distribution patternof a second illuminance different from the first illuminance for 0.2seconds, and repeat the first light distribution pattern and the secondlight distribution pattern for 1 second.

In the illuminance variable lamp 42 which is the laser scanning deviceof the present embodiment, the laser light source emits the laser light.Further, an emitting range is scanned with the laser light by moving themovable mirror. “Sequentially forming the plurality of lightdistribution patterns in the low accuracy region” means, in the presentembodiment, changing the amount of energization supplied to the laserlight source when the movable mirror is moved to the position of the lowaccuracy region irradiated with the laser light, or changing the amountof energization by switching the energization supplied to the R lightsource, the G light source, and the B light source.

It should be noted that it is preferable to switch the plurality oflight distribution patterns at a speed that can be recognized by thecamera but cannot be recognized by human eyes. Further, it is preferablethat the light distribution pattern having illuminance greater than theilluminance of the low accuracy region when the position information ofthe low accuracy region is acquired is maintained for 0.01 seconds inthe low accuracy region, and thereafter the light distribution patternhaving illuminance less than the illuminance of the low accuracy regionwhen the position information of the low accuracy region is acquired ismaintained for 0.01 seconds. More preferably, a series of lightdistribution patterns to be changed in this way are repeated for apredetermined period of time (for example, 1 second).

The plurality of light distribution patterns to be sequentially formedmay be a plurality of predetermined light distribution patterns. Theplurality of light distribution patterns to be sequentially formed maybe recorded in a recording unit connected to the lamp control unit 43. Aplurality of pattern sets each including the plurality of patterns maybe recorded in the recording unit. Alternatively, a function in whichthe illuminance is determined according to time or a function in whichchromaticity is determined according to time may be recorded in therecording unit.

The lamp control unit 43 may read a specific pattern set or functionfrom the recording unit according to the external environment, and causethe illuminance variable lamp 42 to form a plurality of lightdistribution patterns based on the read pattern set or the function.

The “external environment” refers to illuminance surrounding thevehicle, a spectrum of light surrounding the vehicle, time, humidity,weather, and the like. For example, the lamp control unit 43 may read aspecific pattern set from the recording unit according to the output ofthe illuminance sensor capable of acquiring the illuminance surroundingthe vehicle.

In this way, the vehicle lamp system 100B of the present embodimentincludes:

a first lamp (the illuminance variable lamp 42) capable of performingadjustment such that illuminance or color of any region of an angle ofview of the vehicle camera 6 mounted on a vehicle 1 is different fromilluminance or color of another region, and

the lamp control unit 43 controlling the first lamp so as tosequentially form the plurality of light distribution patterns differentin at least one of the illuminance and the color in the low accuracyregion, after acquiring, from the vehicle control unit 3 which controlsthe vehicle 1, the position information of the low accuracy region wherethe recognition accuracy of the angle of view of the vehicle camera 6 isequal to or less than the predetermined value.

According to the vehicle lamp system 100B of the present embodiment, theilluminance or the color differs between a first light distributionpattern and a second light distribution pattern. Therefore, one of theimage captured by the vehicle camera 6 when the first light distributionpattern is irradiated and the image captured by the vehicle camera 6when the second light distribution pattern is irradiated is more easilyrecognized than the other.

For example, in a case where the low accuracy region is too dark toidentify the object and illuminance of the second light distributionpattern is set to be larger than illuminance of the first lightdistribution pattern, the image captured by the vehicle camera 6 whenthe second light distribution pattern is irradiated is more easilyrecognized than the image captured by the vehicle camera 6 when thefirst light distribution pattern is irradiated.

Alternatively, when the first light distribution pattern is irradiatedwith blue light, the second light distribution is irradiated with greenlight, and the object is easily recognized by green light, the object iseasily identified by the image captured by the vehicle camera 6 when thesecond light distribution pattern is irradiated.

In this way, according to the vehicle lamp system 100B of the presentembodiment, the recognition accuracy of the vehicle camera 6 can beincreased.

Further, when the lamp control unit 43 causes the variable illuminancelamp 42 to sequentially form the plurality of light distributionpatterns in the low accuracy region, the illuminance variable lamp 42may be configured to acquire a luminous intensity and a wavelength oflight illuminating the low accuracy region, and sequentially form theplurality of light distribution patterns with a light intensity or awavelength different from this luminous intensity and this wavelength.Accordingly, when it is difficult to identify the object in a state inwhich the illuminance variable lamp 42 is already turned on, it is easyto form a light distribution pattern in which the object is easilyidentified.

Fourth Embodiment

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of the vehicle system 2 including a vehiclelamp system 100C according to a fourth embodiment of the presentinvention. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the vehicle lamp system 100C mayinclude the headlamp 45. A known headlamp can be used as the headlamp45. The headlamp 45 is electrically connected to the lamp control unit43. The lamp control unit 43 controls the headlamp 45 to form the highbeam light distribution pattern, form the low beam light distributionpattern, or turn itself off.

When the lamp control unit 43 acquires the position information of thelow accuracy region from the vehicle control unit 3, the lamp controlunit 43 may be configured to determine whether the headlamp 45 is in thelighting state. When the headlamp 45 is in the lighting state, the lampcontrol unit 43 may be configured to cause the illuminance variable lamp42 to sequentially form a plurality of light distribution patterns inthe low accuracy region in an illuminance or a color different from theilluminance or the color of the low accuracy region irradiated by theheadlight 45. According to such a configuration, the recognitionaccuracy can be improved when it is difficult to identify the objecteven when the headlamp 45 is turned on.

Fifth Embodiment

Vehicle lamp systems 100D to 100G according to a fifth embodiment to aneighth embodiment of the present invention will be described using FIGS.11 to 14.

Since the vehicle 1 on which each of the vehicle lamp systems 100D to100G according to the fifth embodiment to the eighth embodiment ismounted is similar to the vehicle 1 on which the vehicle lamp system100B according to the third embodiment described with reference to FIGS.7A, 7B, and 8 is mounted, a description thereof will be omitted. Commonmembers are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Further, the lamp control unit 43 according to the fifth embodiment tothe eighth embodiment acquires the position information of the low angleregion from the vehicle control unit 3 as described with reference toFIG. 3. The vehicle lamp systems 100D to 100G according to the fifthembodiment to the eighth embodiment are different from the firstembodiment to the fourth embodiment in the flow to be executed afteracquiring the position information of the low angle region. Theembodiments will be described in detail below.

Processing executed by the vehicle lamp system 100D according to thefifth embodiment of the present invention will be described using FIG.11. FIG. 11 is a flowchart of processing executed by the vehicle lampsystem 100D according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, first, after the lamp control unit 43acquires the position information and illuminance of the low accuracyregion from the vehicle control unit 3, the lamp control unit 43executes the following processing (step S201: Yes). When the positioninformation of the low accuracy region is not acquired from the vehiclecontrol unit 3, the lamp control unit 43 does not execute the followingprocessing (step S201: No). The illuminance of the region can beobtained, for example, as an average value, a maximum value, or aminimum value of luminance of the pixels belonging to the low accuracyregion among the pixels of the vehicle camera 6.

Next, the lamp control unit 43 determines whether the acquiredilluminance of the low accuracy region is less than the threshold S1(step 202). When the lamp control unit 43 determines that theilluminance of the low accuracy region is less than the threshold S1(step S202: Yes), the lamp control unit 43 controls the illuminancevariable lamp 42 to increase the illuminance of the low accuracy region(step S203). When the illuminance of the low accuracy region is lessthan the threshold S1, it means that the low accuracy region is dark.That is, the recognition accuracy is low since the low accuracy regionis dark. Therefore, when step S203 is executed, the illuminance variablelamp 42 illuminates the low accuracy region at illuminance higher thanthe illuminance of the low accuracy region when the vehicle control unit3 determines that the recognition accuracy is low, so that therecognition accuracy is increased.

On the other hand, when the lamp control unit 43 determines that theilluminance of the low accuracy region is equal to or greater than thethreshold S1 (step S202: No), the lamp control unit 43 controls theilluminance variable lamp 42 to decrease the illuminance of the lowaccuracy region (step S204). When the illuminance of the low accuracyregion is equal to or greater than the threshold S1, it means that thelow accuracy region is bright. That is, the recognition accuracy is lowsince the low accuracy region is too bright. Therefore, when step S204is executed, the illuminance variable lamp 42 illuminates the lowaccuracy region at illuminance lower than the illuminance of the lowaccuracy region when the vehicle control unit 3 determines that therecognition accuracy is low, so that the recognition accuracy isincreased.

In the illuminance variable lamp 42 which is the laser scanning deviceof the present embodiment, the laser light source emits the laser light.Further, the emitting range is scanned with the laser light by movingthe movable mirror. In the present embodiment, the expression “theilluminance variable lamp 42 is controlled so as to increase theilluminance of the low accuracy region” means that the lamp control unit43 increases the amount of energization supplied to the laser lightsource when the movable mirror is moved to a position of the lowaccuracy region irradiated with the laser light. On the other hand, theexpression “the illuminance variable lamp 42 is controlled so as todecrease the illuminance of the low accuracy region” means that the lampcontrol unit 43 decreases the amount of energization supplied to thelaser light source when the movable mirror is moved to the position ofthe low accuracy region irradiated with the laser light.

Steps S201 to S204 described above are repeatedly executed atpredetermined intervals. The predetermined interval is 1 second or less,preferably 0.1 second or less.

Further, the processing of steps S202 to S204 may be repeated while thelamp control unit 43 acquires the position information of the lowaccuracy region from the vehicle control unit 3.

Alternatively, when the lamp control unit 43 acquires the positioninformation and the illuminance of the low accuracy region from thevehicle control unit 3, the illuminance of the low accuracy region isadjusted by the illuminance variable lamp 42 such that the recognitionaccuracy is increased according to the illuminance of the low accuracyregion. This adjustment may be continued for a predetermined number oftimes or a predetermined period of time. According to this aspect, whenthe position information and the illuminance of the low accuracy regionare acquired at a certain time, the recognition accuracy can becontinuously increased by repeating Step S203 or S204 a predeterminednumber of times regardless of whether the information about the lowaccuracy region is acquired from the vehicle control unit 3.

The low accuracy region is a region which moves with time. Therefore, itis preferable that the lamp control unit 43 continuously acquires theposition information of the low accuracy region and controls theilluminance variable lamp 42 so as to emit the light toward the movinglow accuracy region. For example, it is preferable that the positioninformation of the low accuracy region is acquired from the vehiclecontrol unit 3 immediately before the execution of steps S203 and S204,and the illuminance variable lamp 42 is controlled based on the positioninformation. However, when steps S201 to S204 are processed at asufficiently high speed, the control of the illuminance variable lamp 42in steps S203 and S204 may be performed based on the positioninformation of the low accuracy region acquired in step S201.

Sixth Embodiment

In the fifth embodiment described above, the configuration for acquiringthe illuminance of the low accuracy region from the vehicle control unit3 has been described. However, the present invention does not have toacquire the illuminance of the low accuracy region from the vehiclecontrol unit 3. A sixth embodiment of the present invention relates to avehicle lamp system 100E capable of increasing the recognition accuracyeven when the illuminance of the low accuracy region is not acquiredfrom the vehicle control unit 3.

Processing executed by the vehicle lamp system 100E according to thesixth embodiment of the present invention will be described using FIG.12. FIG. 12 is a flowchart executed by the vehicle lamp system 100Eaccording to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. Since aconfiguration of the vehicle lamp system 100E according to the sixthembodiment is similar to a configuration of the vehicle lamp system 100Daccording to the fifth embodiment, a description thereof will beomitted.

As illustrated in FIG. 12, the lamp control unit 43 acquires theposition information and the recognition accuracy of the low accuracyregion from the vehicle control unit 3 (step S211). In the followingdescription, the recognition accuracy acquired in step S211 will bereferred to as first recognition accuracy N1.

Next, the lamp control unit 43 controls the illuminance variable lamp 42to increase the illuminance of the low accuracy region (step S212).Next, the lamp control unit 43 acquires, as second recognition accuracyN2, recognition accuracy of the low accuracy region illuminated by anincreased illuminance from the vehicle control unit 3 (step S213).

Next, the lamp control unit 43 compares the first recognition accuracyN1 with the second recognition accuracy N2 (step S214). That is, thelamp control unit 43 compares the recognition accuracy when the vehiclecontrol unit 3 determines that the region is the low accuracy regionwith the recognition accuracy when the low accuracy region isilluminated in a brighter state. When the first recognition accuracy N1is higher than the second recognition accuracy N2, it means that thedarker region has higher recognition accuracy. On the other hand, whenthe first recognition accuracy N1 is lower than the second recognitionaccuracy N2, it means that the brighter region has higher recognitionaccuracy.

Therefore, when it is determined that the first recognition accuracy N1is higher than the second recognition accuracy N2 (step S214: Yes), thelamp control unit 43 controls the illuminance variable lamp 42 todecrease the illuminance of the low accuracy region with respect to theilluminance when the first recognition accuracy N1 is acquired (stepS215). That is, when the region is too bright and the recognitionaccuracy is low, the recognition accuracy of the low accuracy region isincreased by darkening the low accuracy region.

When it is determined that the first recognition accuracy N1 is lowerthan the second recognition accuracy N2 (step S214: No), the lampcontrol unit 43 controls the illuminance variable lamp 42 so as toincrease the illuminance of the low accuracy region with respect to theilluminance when the first recognition accuracy N1 is acquired (stepS216). That is, when the region is too dark and the recognition accuracyis low, the recognition accuracy of the low accuracy region is increasedby brightening the low accuracy region.

In this way, according to the vehicle lamp system 100E of the presentembodiment, the recognition accuracy can be increased even when theilluminance of the low accuracy region is not acquired from the vehiclecontrol unit 3.

Steps S211 to S216 described above are repeatedly executed atpredetermined intervals. The predetermined interval is 1 second or less,preferably 0.1 second or less.

Further, the processing of steps S212 to S216 may be repeated while thelamp control unit 43 acquires the position information of the lowaccuracy region from the vehicle control unit 3.

Alternatively, when the lamp control unit 43 acquires the positioninformation and the recognition accuracy of the low accuracy region fromthe vehicle control unit 3, the illuminance variable lamp 42 may beconfigured to continuously adjust the illuminance of the low accuracyregion a predetermined number of times or for a predetermined period oftime such that the recognition accuracy is increased. According to thisaspect, when the position information and the recognition accuracy ofthe low accuracy region are acquired at a certain time, the recognitionaccuracy can be continuously increased by repeating Step S215 or S216 apredetermined number of times regardless of whether the informationabout the low accuracy region is acquired from the vehicle control unit3.

In the embodiment described above, an example in which the lamp controlunit 43 controls the illuminance variable lamp 42 so as to increase theilluminance of the low accuracy region has been described in step S212,but the lamp control unit 43 may control the illuminance variable lamp42 so as to decrease the illuminance of the low accuracy region in stepS212.

When the illuminance variable lamp 42 is controlled so as to decreasethe illuminance of the low accuracy region in step S212, thedetermination criterion in step S214 is reversed. When the firstrecognition accuracy N1 is higher than the second recognition accuracyN2, it means that the brighter region has higher recognition accuracy.On the other hand, when the first recognition accuracy N1 is lower thanthe second recognition accuracy N2, it means that the darker region hashigher recognition accuracy.

When it is determined that the first recognition accuracy N1 is higherthan the second recognition accuracy N2 in step S214, the lamp controlunit 43 controls the illuminance variable lamp so as to increase theilluminance of the low accuracy region with respect to the illuminancewhen the first recognition accuracy is acquired.

Further, when it is determined that the first recognition accuracy N1 islower than the second recognition accuracy N2 in step S214, the lampcontrol unit 43 controls the illuminance variable lamp so as to decreasethe illuminance of the low accuracy region with respect to theilluminance when the first recognition accuracy is acquired.

The low accuracy region is a region which moves with time. Therefore, itis preferable that the lamp control unit 43 continuously acquires theposition information of the low accuracy region and controls theilluminance variable lamp 42 so as to emit the light toward the movinglow accuracy region. For example, it is preferable that the positioninformation of the low accuracy region is acquired from the vehiclecontrol unit 3 immediately before the execution of steps S215 and S216,and the illuminance variable lamp 42 is controlled based on the positioninformation. However, when steps S211 to S216 are processed at asufficiently high speed, the control of the illuminance variable lamp 42in steps S215 and S216 may be performed based on the positioninformation of the low accuracy region acquired in step S211.

Seventh Embodiment

In the fifth and sixth embodiments described above, an example in whichthe vehicle lamp systems 100D, 100E each include only the illuminancevariable lamp 42 is described, but the vehicle lamp system can also beconfigured in combination with the headlamp 45 (the illuminance fixinglamp) capable of emitting light with a specific illuminance toward anarea including the angle of view of the vehicle camera 6.

A vehicle lamp system 100F includes the headlamp 45 in addition to theconfiguration of the vehicle lamp systems 100D, 100E of the fifth andsixth embodiments described above. The lamp control unit 43 iselectrically connected to the headlamp 45. The lamp control unit 43 cancontrol the headlamp 45. A known headlamp can be used as the headlamp45. The headlamp 45 can form a high beam light distribution pattern anda low beam light distribution pattern. Further, the lamp control unit 43controls the headlamp 45 to form the high beam light distributionpattern, form the low beam light distribution pattern, or turn itselfoff.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart executed by the vehicle lamp system 100Faccording to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. Asillustrated in FIG. 13, since steps S221, S222 executed by the lampcontrol unit 43 are the same as steps S201, S202 of the fifth embodimentdescribed above, a description thereof will be omitted. After it isdetermined whether the illuminance of the low accuracy region is lessthan the threshold S1 (step S222), the lamp control unit 43 determineswhether the headlamp 45 is in the lighting state (steps S223, S226).

When the illuminance of the low accuracy region is less than thethreshold S1 (step S222: Yes) and the headlamp 45 is in the lightingstate (step S223: Yes), the lamp control unit 43 controls theilluminance variable lamp 42 to increase the illuminance of the lowaccuracy region (step S224). When the illuminance of the low accuracyregion is less than the threshold S1, the low accuracy region is toodark and it may be difficult for the vehicle control unit 3 to identifythe object. When step S224 is executed, the illuminance variable lamp 42illuminates the low accuracy region at illuminance higher than theilluminance of the low accuracy region when the vehicle control unit 3determines that the recognition accuracy is low, so that the recognitionaccuracy is increased.

When the illuminance of the low accuracy region is less than thethreshold S1 (step S222: Yes) and the headlamp 45 is in the OFF state(step S223: No), the lamp control unit 43 turns on the headlamp 45and/or controls the illuminance variable lamp 42 so as to increase theilluminance of the low accuracy region (step S225).

When the headlamp 45 is too dark in the OFF state and the recognitionaccuracy is low, the low accuracy region can be brightly illuminated byturning on the headlamp 45, so that the recognition accuracy can beincreased. Alternatively, by increasing the amount of energizationsupplied to the light source of the illuminance variable lamp 42 withoutturning on the headlamp 45, the low accuracy region can be brightlyilluminated, so that the recognition accuracy can also be increased.Alternatively, by turning on the headlamp 45 and increasing the amountof energization supplied to the light source of the illuminance variablelamp 42, the low accuracy region can be brightly illuminated, so thatthe recognition accuracy can also be increased.

The lamp control unit 43 may be configured to always execute one ofturning on only the headlamp 45 and increasing the amount ofenergization supplied to the light source of the illuminance variablelamp 42.

Alternatively, the lamp control unit 43 may be configured to select andexecute one of turning on only the headlamp 45 and increasing the amountof energization supplied to the light source of the illuminance variablelamp 42 according to other external information. The other externalinformation includes, for example, an average illuminance around thevehicle, time, weather, a traveling speed of the own vehicle, andexposure time of the vehicle camera 6. For example, in a situation wherethe surroundings are dark, when the headlamp 45 is turned on,recognition accuracy of a region other than the low accuracy region canbe increased. Alternatively, when the traveling speed of the own vehicleis high, the exposure time of the vehicle camera 6 is set to be short.When the exposure time of the vehicle camera 6 is short, luminance ofall pixels of the vehicle camera 6 tends to be low in general.Therefore, when the headlamp 45 is turned on, the recognition accuracyof the region other than the low accuracy region can be increased.

When the illuminance of the low accuracy region is equal to or greaterthan the threshold S1 (step S222: No) and the headlamp 45 is in thelighting state (step S226: Yes), the lamp control unit 43 turns off theheadlamp 45 and/or controls the illuminance variable lamp 42 so as todecrease the illuminance of the low accuracy region (step S227). Whenthe illuminance of the low accuracy region is equal to or greater thanthe threshold S1, the low accuracy region is too bright and it may bedifficult for the vehicle control unit 3 to identify the object. Whenstep S227 is executed, since the low accuracy region is illuminated atthe illuminance lower than the illuminance of the low accuracy regionwhen the vehicle control unit 3 determines that the recognition accuracyis low, the recognition accuracy is increased.

When the headlamp 45 is too bright in the lighting state and therecognition accuracy is low, the low accuracy region can be darkened byturning off the headlamp 45, so that the recognition accuracy can beincreased. Alternatively, by decreasing the amount of energizationsupplied to the light source of the illuminance variable lamp 42 withoutturning off the headlamp 45, the low accuracy region can be darkened, sothat the recognition accuracy can also be increased. Alternatively, byturning off the headlamp 45 and decreasing the amount of energizationsupplied to the light source of the illuminance variable lamp 42, thelow accuracy region can be darkened, so that the recognition accuracycan also be increased.

The lamp control unit 43 may be configured to always execute one of onlyturning off the headlamp 45 and decreasing the amount of energizationsupplied to the light source of the illuminance variable lamp 42.

Alternatively, the lamp control unit 43 may be configured to select andexecute one of only turning off the headlamp 45 and decreasing theamount of energization supplied to the light source of the illuminancevariable lamp 42 according to the other external information.

When the illuminance of the low accuracy region is equal to or greaterthan the threshold S1 (step S222: No) and the headlamp 45 is in the OFFstate (step S226: No), the lamp control unit 43 controls the illuminancevariable lamp 42 so as to decrease the illuminance of the low accuracyregion (step S228).

Steps S221 to S228 described above are repeatedly executed atpredetermined intervals. The predetermined interval is 1 second or less,preferably 0.1 second or less.

Further, the processing of steps S221 to S228 may be repeated while thelamp control unit 43 acquires the position information of the lowaccuracy region from the vehicle control unit 3.

Alternatively, when the lamp control unit 43 acquires the positioninformation and the illuminance of the low accuracy region from thevehicle control unit 3, the lamp control unit 43 controls illuminance ofthe low accuracy region by the illuminance variable lamp 42 and/or theheadlamp 45 such that the recognition accuracy is increased. Thiscontrol may be continued for a predetermined number of times or apredetermined period of time. According to this aspect, when theposition information of the low accuracy region is acquired at a certaintime, the recognition accuracy can be continuously increased byrepeating Steps S224, S225, S227 and S228 a predetermined number oftimes regardless of whether the information about the low accuracyregion is acquired from the vehicle control unit 3.

The low accuracy region is a region which moves with time. Therefore, itis preferable that the lamp control unit 43 continuously acquires theposition information of the low accuracy region and controls theilluminance variable lamp 42 so as to emit the light toward the movinglow accuracy region. For example, it is preferable that the positioninformation of the low accuracy region is acquired from the vehiclecontrol unit 3 immediately before the execution of steps S224, S225,S227 and S228, and the illuminance variable lamp 42 is controlled basedon the position information. However, when steps S221 to S228 areprocessed at a sufficiently high speed, the control of the illuminancevariable lamp 42 in steps S224, S225, S227 and S228 may be performedbased on the position information of the low accuracy region acquired instep S221.

Eighth Embodiment

In the seventh embodiment described above, the configuration foracquiring the illuminance of the low accuracy region from the vehiclecontrol unit 3 has been described. However, the present invention doesnot have to acquire the illuminance of the low accuracy region from thevehicle control unit 3. An eighth embodiment of the present inventionrelates to a vehicle lamp system 100G capable of increasing therecognition accuracy even when the illuminance of the low accuracyregion is not acquired from the vehicle control unit 3.

Processing executed by the vehicle lamp system 100G according to theeighth embodiment of the present invention will be described using FIG.14. FIG. 14 is a flowchart executed by the vehicle lamp system 100Gaccording to the eighth embodiment of the present invention. Since aconfiguration of the vehicle lamp system 100G according to the eighthembodiment is similar to a configuration of the vehicle lamp system 100Faccording to the seventh embodiment, a description thereof will beomitted.

As illustrated in FIG. 14, the lamp control unit 43 acquires theposition information and the recognition accuracy of the low accuracyregion from the vehicle control unit 3 (step S231). In the followingdescription, the recognition accuracy acquired in step S231 will bereferred to as the first recognition accuracy N1.

Next, the lamp control unit 43 controls the illuminance variable lamp 42so to turn on the headlamp 45 or increase the illuminance of the lowaccuracy region (step S232). Next, the lamp control unit 43 acquires, asthe second recognition accuracy N2, the recognition accuracy of the lowaccuracy region illuminated by the increased illuminance from thevehicle control unit 3 (step S233).

Next, the lamp control unit 43 compares the first recognition accuracyN1 with the second recognition accuracy N2 (step S234). That is, thelamp control unit 43 compares the recognition accuracy when the vehiclecontrol unit 3 determines that the region is the low accuracy regionwith the recognition accuracy when the low accuracy region isilluminated in a brighter state. Further, the lamp control unit 43determines whether the headlamp 45 at the time of step S231 is in thelighting state (steps S235, S238).

When the first recognition accuracy N1 is higher than the secondrecognition accuracy N2 (step S234: Yes) and the headlamp 45 is in thelighting state (step S235: Yes), the lamp control unit 43 controls theilluminance variable lamp 42 so as to decrease the illuminance of thelow accuracy region with respect to the illuminance when the firstrecognition accuracy N1 is acquired (step S236). That is, when theregion is too bright and the recognition accuracy is low, therecognition accuracy of the low accuracy region is increased bydarkening the low accuracy region.

When the first recognition accuracy N1 is higher than the secondrecognition accuracy N2 (step S234: Yes) and the headlamp 45 is in theOFF state (step S235: No), the lamp control unit 43 turns off theheadlamp 45 and/or controls the illuminance variable lamp 42 so as todecrease the illuminance of the low accuracy region with respect to theilluminance when the first recognition accuracy N1 is acquired (stepS237). That is, when the region is too bright and the recognitionaccuracy is low, the recognition accuracy of the low accuracy region isincreased by darkening the low accuracy region.

When the second recognition accuracy N2 is higher than the firstrecognition accuracy N1 (step S234: No) and the headlamp 45 is in thelighting state (step S238: Yes), the lamp control unit 43 controls theilluminance variable lamp 42 so as to increase the illuminance of thelow accuracy region with respect to the illuminance when the firstrecognition accuracy N1 is acquired (step S239). That is, when theregion is too dark and the recognition accuracy is low, the recognitionaccuracy of the low accuracy region is increased by brightening the lowaccuracy region.

When the second recognition accuracy N2 is higher than the firstrecognition accuracy N1 (step S234: No) and the headlamp 45 is in theOFF state (step S238: No), the lamp control unit 43 turns on theheadlamp 45 and/or controls the illuminance variable lamp 42 so as toincrease the illuminance of the low accuracy region with respect to theilluminance when the first recognition accuracy N1 is acquired (stepS240). That is, when the region is too dark and the recognition accuracyis low, the recognition accuracy of the low accuracy region is increasedby brightening the low accuracy region.

In this way, according to the vehicle lamp system 100G of the presentembodiment, the recognition accuracy can be increased even when theilluminance of the low accuracy region is not acquired from the vehiclecontrol unit 3.

Steps S231 to S240 described above are repeatedly executed atpredetermined intervals. The predetermined interval is 1 second or less,preferably 0.1 second or less.

Further, the processing of steps S231 to S240 may be repeated while thelamp control unit 43 acquires the position information of the lowaccuracy region from the vehicle control unit 3.

Alternatively, when the lamp control unit 43 acquires the positioninformation and the recognition accuracy of the low accuracy region fromthe vehicle control unit 3, the illuminance variable lamp 42 may beconfigured to continuously adjust the illuminance of the low accuracyregion a predetermined number of times or for a predetermined period oftime such that the recognition accuracy is increased. According to thisaspect, when the position information and the recognition accuracy ofthe low accuracy region are acquired at a certain time, the recognitionaccuracy can be continuously increased by repeating one of steps S236,S237, S239 and S240 a predetermined number of times regardless ofwhether the information about the low accuracy region is acquired fromthe vehicle control unit 3.

In the embodiment described above, an example in which the lamp controlunit 43 turns on the headlamp 45 or controls the illuminance variablelamp 42 so as to increase the illuminance of the low accuracy region hasbeen described in step S232, but the lamp control unit 43 may turn offthe headlamp 45 or control the illuminance variable lamp 42 so as todecrease the illuminance of the low accuracy region in step S232.

When the illuminance variable lamp 42 is controlled so as to decreasethe illuminance of the low accuracy region in step S232, thedetermination criterion in step S234 is reversed. When the firstrecognition accuracy N1 is higher than the second recognition accuracyN2, it means that the brighter region has higher recognition accuracy.On the other hand, when the first recognition accuracy N1 is lower thanthe second recognition accuracy N2, it means that the darker region hashigher recognition accuracy.

Therefore, when it is determined that the first recognition accuracy N1is higher than the second recognition accuracy N2 and the headlamp 45 isin the lighting state, the lamp control unit 43 controls the illuminancevariable lamp 42 so as to increase the illuminance of the low accuracyregion with respect to the illuminance when the first recognitionaccuracy N1 is acquired (step S239).

When it is determined that the first recognition accuracy N1 is higherthan the second recognition accuracy N2 and the headlamp 45 is in theOFF state, the lamp control unit 43 turns on the headlamp 45 and/orcontrols the illuminance variable lamp 42 so as to increase theilluminance of the low accuracy region with respect to the illuminancewhen the first recognition accuracy N1 is acquired (step S240).

When it is determined that the first recognition accuracy N1 is lowerthan the second recognition accuracy N2 and the headlamp 45 is in thelighting state, the lamp control unit 43 turns on the headlamp 45 and/orcontrols the illuminance variable lamp 42 so as to decrease theilluminance of the low accuracy region with respect to the illuminancewhen the first recognition accuracy N1 is acquired (step S236).

Therefore, when it is determined that the first recognition accuracy N1is lower than the second recognition accuracy N2 and the headlamp 45 isin the OFF state, the lamp control unit 43 controls the illuminancevariable lamp 42 so as to decrease the illuminance of the low accuracyregion with respect to the illuminance when the first recognitionaccuracy N1 is acquired (step S237).

The low accuracy region is a region which moves with time. Therefore, itis preferable that the lamp control unit 43 continuously acquires theposition information of the low accuracy region and controls theilluminance variable lamp 42 so as to emit the light toward the movinglow accuracy region. For example, it is preferable that the positioninformation of the low accuracy region is acquired from the vehiclecontrol unit 3 immediately before the execution of steps S236, S237,S239 and S240, and the illuminance variable lamp 42 is controlled basedon the position information. However, when steps S231 to S240 areprocessed at a sufficiently high speed, the control of the illuminancevariable lamp 42 in steps S236, S237, S239 and S240 may be performedbased on the position information of the low accuracy region acquired instep S231.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been describedabove, it is needless to say that the technical scope of the presentinvention should not be limitedly interpreted by the description of thepresent embodiments. It is to be understood by those skilled in the artthat the present embodiment is merely examples and various modificationsmay be made within the scope of the invention described in the claims.The technical scope of the present invention should be determined basedon the scope of the invention described in the claims and an equivalentscope thereof.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, when there are the plurality of low accuracyregions A1, A2, the lamp control unit 43 performs the processingdescribed above for each low accuracy region. As illustrated in FIG. 3,even in a case where the region A1 which is too bright and has a lowrecognition accuracy and the region A2 which is too dark and has a lowrecognition accuracy coexist, the recognition accuracy of each regioncan be increased according to the embodiment described above.

In the embodiment described above, an example in which the vehiclecamera 6 is a camera that acquires information in front of the vehiclehas been described. However, the vehicle camera according to the presentinvention is not limited to a vehicle camera that acquires informationin front of the vehicle. For example, the vehicle camera may be a rearcamera which acquires information behind the vehicle, or a side camerawhich acquires information on the left side or the right side of thevehicle. In a case where the vehicle camera is a rear camera, theilluminance fixing lamp described above (the headlamp) is a lamp whichemits light of a certain intensity to the rear of the vehicle. In a casewhere the vehicle camera is a side camera, the illuminance fixing lampdescribed above (the headlamp) is a lamp which emits light of a certainintensity to the left side or the right side of the vehicle.

Further, the vehicle camera is not limited to a camera that can receivevisible light. The vehicle camera may be an infrared camera. In a casewhere the vehicle camera is the infrared camera, the illuminancevariable lamp can be implemented by a lamp capable of emitting infraredrays.

Further, in the embodiment described above, a case where the illuminancevariable lamp 42 is the laser scanning device has been described, butthe type of the illuminance variable lamp is not particularly limited.For example, the illuminance variable lamp may be a lamp including aplurality of LED light sources. In this case, the region to which theilluminance variable lamp emits light is virtually divided into aplurality of regions, and the plurality of LED light sources can emitlight to the respective regions. Each region to which the LED lightsource is capable of emitting light is associated with a region wherethe low accuracy region of the vehicle camera is recognized. In thevehicle lamp system configured as described above, the control describedabove can be executed by controlling the amount of energization suppliedto the LED light source which emits light to the low accuracy region anda designated region.

In the present embodiment, the driving mode of the vehicle is describedas including the fully automatic driving mode, the advanced drivingsupport mode, the driving support mode and the manual driving mode, butthe driving mode of the vehicle should not be limited to these fourmodes. A classification of the driving mode of the vehicle may beappropriately changed according to laws or regulations related toautomatic driving in each country. Similarly, definitions of the “fullyautomatic driving mode”, the “advanced driving support mode” and the“driving support mode” in the description of the present embodiment aremerely examples and may be appropriately changed according to the lawsor regulations related to the automatic driving in each country.

This application is based on a Japanese Patent Application (PatentApplication No. 2018-212376) filed on Nov. 12, 2018, a Japanese PatentApplication (Patent Application No. 2018-212377) filed on Nov. 12, 2018,and a Japanese Patent Application (Patent Application No. 2018-212378)filed on Nov. 12, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein byreference.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the present invention, a vehicle lamp system capable ofimproving recognition accuracy of a camera is provided.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

-   -   1 vehicle    -   2 vehicle system    -   3 vehicle control unit    -   4 lamp device    -   6 vehicle camera    -   42 illuminance variable lamp    -   43 lamp control unit    -   44 lamp-mounted camera    -   45 headlamp (illuminance fixing lamp)    -   100 to 100G vehicle lamp system    -   A1, A2 low accuracy region

1. A vehicle lamp system comprising: an illuminance variable lampcapable of emitting light toward an entire angle of view of a vehiclecamera mounted on a vehicle and capable of performing adjustment suchthat illuminance of any region is different from illuminance of anotherregion; a lamp-mounted camera including, in an angle of view, a rangeincluding the angle of view of the vehicle camera; and a lamp controlunit configured to control the illuminance variable lamp, wherein thelamp control unit is configured to after acquiring, from a vehiclecontrol unit configured to control the vehicle, position information ofa low accuracy region where a recognition accuracy of the angle of viewof the vehicle camera is equal to or less than a predetermined value,acquire illuminance of the low accuracy region with reference toinformation acquired by the lamp-mounted camera, and control theilluminance variable lamp so as to increase the illuminance of the lowaccuracy region if the illuminance of the low accuracy region is lessthan a threshold, and/or control the illuminance variable lamp so as todecrease the illuminance of the low accuracy region if the illuminanceof the low accuracy region is equal to or greater than the threshold. 2.A vehicle lamp system comprising: an illuminance variable lamp capableof emitting light toward an entire angle of view of a vehicle cameramounted on a vehicle and capable of performing adjustment such thatilluminance of any region is different from illuminance of anotherregion; a lamp-mounted camera including, in an angle of view, a rangeincluding the angle of view of the vehicle camera; an illuminance fixinglamp capable of emitting light with a specific illuminance toward aregion including the angle of view of the vehicle camera; and a lampcontrol unit configured to control the illuminance variable lamp and theilluminance fixing lamp, wherein the lamp control unit is configured toafter acquiring, from a vehicle control unit configured to control thevehicle, position information and illuminance of a low accuracy regionwhere a recognition accuracy of the angle of view of the vehicle camerais equal to or less than a predetermined value, determine whether theilluminance of the low accuracy region is less than a threshold, turn onthe illuminance fixing lamp and/or control the illuminance variable lampso as to increase the illuminance of the low accuracy region if theilluminance of the low accuracy region is less than the threshold,and/or turn off the illuminance fixing lamp and/or control theilluminance variable lamp so as to decrease the illuminance of the lowaccuracy region if the illuminance of the low accuracy region is equalto or greater than the threshold.
 3. The vehicle lamp system accordingto claim 1, wherein the lamp control unit is configured to repeat thecontrol while the vehicle control unit acquires the position informationof the low accuracy region from the vehicle control unit.
 4. The vehiclelamp system according to claim 1, wherein the low accuracy region is aregion which moves with time, and wherein the lamp control unit isconfigured to continuously acquire the position information of the lowaccuracy region and control the illuminance variable lamp so as to emitlight toward the moving low accuracy region.
 5. A vehicle lamp systemcomprising: a first lamp capable of performing adjustment such thatilluminance or color of any region of an angle of view of a vehiclecamera mounted on a vehicle is different from illuminance or color ofanother region; and a lamp control unit configured to control the firstlamp so as to sequentially form a plurality of light distributionpatterns different in at least one of illuminance and color in a lowaccuracy region, after acquiring, from a vehicle control unit configuredto control the vehicle, position information of a low accuracy regionwhere a recognition accuracy of the angle of view of the vehicle camerais equal to or less than a predetermined value.
 6. The vehicle lampsystem according to claim 5, wherein after acquiring the positioninformation of the low accuracy region from the vehicle control unit ina lighting state of the first lamp, the lamp control unit is configuredto control the first lamp to sequentially form, in the low accuracyregion, the plurality of light distribution patterns different in atleast one of the illuminance and the color with illuminance or colordifferent from the illuminance or the color of the low accuracy regionilluminated by the first lamp.
 7. The vehicle lamp system according toclaim 5 further comprising: a second lamp configured to emit light withspecific illuminance and specific color toward a region including theangle of view of the vehicle camera, wherein after acquiring theposition information of the low accuracy region from the vehicle controlunit in a lighting state of the second lamp, the lamp control unit isconfigured to control the first lamp to sequentially form, in the lowaccuracy region, a plurality of light distribution patterns different inat least one of the illuminance and the color with illuminance or colordifferent from the illuminance or the color of the low accuracy regionilluminated by the second lamp.
 8. The vehicle lamp system according toclaim 5, wherein the lamp control unit is configured to control thefirst lamp so as to repeatedly form the plurality of predetermined lightdistribution patterns. 9.-14. (canceled)